Looking For Truth ~part 1~

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ا سَـــــــلاَمُ عَلَيــْــكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـَـاتُه

Reiichi pulled his blanket closer. It was raining lightly on a sweet Sunday morning, and it was perfect. He took a quick glance at his alarm clock to see it read exactly 6.00 a.m. He smiled as he curled up in his blanket. In his mind he played his Sunday tentative. Wake up at 8.30 in the morning, having a nice breakfast; toast and a cup of hot coffee with a good novel, go cycling around the neighbourhood and watch movie until it is time for lunch.

He was just about to doze off when a loud voice came yelling into his ears. “Allahuakhbar…Allahuakhbar…!”

“Urgh…!” He groaned, pressing his pillow closer to his ears.

About 3 minutes later of enduring great pain, he heard someone opened his door, and flicked on the light. The incandescence seared through his eyes. Reiichi shut his eyes tightly, cursing under his breath. “Dammnit…”

“Rei…lets pray.” Ren called.

“Go away…” Reiichi spoke softly, hoping Ren to leave. Few seconds later he felt someone shook his body. This time the voice came more persuasively, a speck of concern hung at the edge of his voice.

“Rei, are you sick?”

“Just leave me alone Ren, please.” Reiichi replied, his voice was stern and gave a clear message that further argument is intolerable. He felt a caring hand ruffled his hair before his room was dark again, the strong smell of perfume filled the room, suffocating him.

…

When he woke up at 8.30 a.m, he felt happy. The rain had stopped, but the mist still hung in the atmosphere. The birds sung beautifully in the morning bliss. He helped himself in the pantry for his sunrise java. The steam of his coffee immediately condensed in the cold air. He laid a piece of old newspaper next to the couch and poured a generous amount of cat food. A big, orange-coloured cat yawned from beside the toilet, stretched and quickly walked over to Reiichi. He gently caressed the cat before settling down on the couch, reading his novel.

“Um…Rei, are you free tonight? There will be a programme at the Blue Mosque, about Palestine and Syria. Before that maybe we could have dinner together.” Ren asked from his study table. 

“Sorry, I have plan.” Reiichi lied without turning from his book. He took a slow sip from his coffee as his mobile phone beeped. It was Oliver. Reiichi pushed a few buttons and read the message. 

[ Hey Rei, been a long time. Dinner on me tonight? ]

[ Sure. Why not ] Reiichi deftly worked his fingers on the phone and pushed the sent button. 

 ...

He remembered Oliver. The last time he saw him was seven years ago. Reiichi was only a small boy back then. He put up a stool next to his mother’s favourite rose, clinging to the rusty old fence to watch big muscular people carrying boxes from Oliver’s house into a big lorry.  

He still remembered the smell of morning glory that coiled around the retaining iron. Oliver was older than Reiichi by a year. Before he left in his father’s new blue car, he passed Reiichi a note, along with a small photo of him and Reiichi building sandcastle together during the previous school holiday. He gave Reiichi a soft smile and said something, but Reiichi could not remember.

On the same night Reiichi opened the note. It was a drawing of him and Oliver made by crayon. They were holding hands together and facing a number of stairs and a big wide door that Reiichi assumed to be shining, considering the yellow strokes that Oliver drew which emerged from the door. Reiichi had made both picture and the note as bookmarks for his favourite books. But one day his father gone berserk, hitting his mom and he burnt all of Reiichi’s books.

“Do you think all of those ridiculous books can feed you? I’m the one who work day and night just to feed you and that bloody woman!” He shouted and threw almost anything that he could reach. The photo album hit Reiichi on his temple, and he felt warm liquid oozed down his cheek, only he could not remember whether it was blood or his tears. His mother crawled from beside the couch and hugged him, defending the little Reiichi from any other flying stray objects. She cried and kept saying the word ‘Allah…Allah’. Reiichi did not understand.

Oliver was his best friend. They used to play together under a shady tree next to a football field. Oliver had asked his father to install some planks on the tree and put up a waterproof canvas so that it could be their base. Often Reiichi would beat him to the tree every evening, reading his books. They had carved their names on the tree trunk, symbolizing their eternal friendship. Oliver could not read so well, but he always asked his father to buy books for him, and the Oliver would request Reiichi to read it for him.

One day Reiichi came to their base to find that there was a mark made by spray paint. A red arrow was painted on the wooden plank, pointing at an angle to which the sun set. When Oliver came he asked, “Did you draw the arrow? For what?”

“A direction.” Oliver replied short, his face seemed to gleam in golden colour in the evening sun. A nearby mosque played their usual song over the microphone, and then Oliver would wash parts of his body with a mineral bottle he brought from home and stood directly facing his arrow. He stood, bowed, sat and put his forehead on the wooden plank. He had read something in his actions, but Reiichi could not follow, despite the fact that he read more books than Oliver.

After Oliver finished Reiichi asked him, “What were you doing?”

“Praying. Haven’t you seen your parents doing it?” Oliver said.

Reiichi slowly shook his head. “Pray? To who?”

“Well…God, of course.” Oliver replied as he sat next to his friend.

“But why do you need to pray to God?” Reiichi seemed curious.

Oliver frowned. “Well…I’m not so sure. My father told me I need to pray.”

Reiichi was lost in his thoughts.

…

Realization came hitting him. His coffee had gone warm and the cat had already finished his breakfast. He curled up beside Reiichi, licking his paw. Holding the cup in his hand, Reiichi forced the caffeine inside his system. The liquid swam uneasily inside him, threatening to come back up. Putting the cup on the floor, he slowly lowered himself into a reclined position on the couch as he picked up the cat, hugging it closely.

…

Sorry...What is...Mecca?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ا سَـــــــلاَمُ عَلَيــْــكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـَـاتُه

It was an ordinary Sunday night. Reiichi was at his desk, engrossed with translating German words into English. On the next day classes would be as usual, but he still had a lot of homework to finish. Out of sheer paranoia, one of his friends called him.

“Reiichi, this is his last day in Malaysia. If you want to meet him, it would be a good time.”

Suddenly Reiichi remembered.

A friend he met few weeks ago soon would be leaving Malaysia. His two months English course just finished.

He closed his book and went to his friend’s room.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked. Nothing. He waited for 10 seconds before knocking again. This time the door finally opened.

“Uhh…Hi. Sorry to disturb you. Sleeping?” Reiichi said, spelling one syllable at a time.

“Hi. Oh no no… I was resting. I… sleep at…2 a.m.” He slowly replied in his improved English, his hand counting his fingers. “One…two… Yes, 2 a.m.” He smiled at Reiichi.  

“Do…you…have…time…for…coffee?” Reiichi added, gesturing with his hands to mimic the expression of how a person is drinking coffee.

“Coffee…?” He racked his brain to find the matching word in his language. About four seconds later he finally replied. “Oh coffee? Yes yes I love coffee.”

Reiichi invited him upstairs to his room, before he quickly scurried to the pantry, making himself and his new friend some coffee. Waiting for the water to boil, his hands deftly poured an approximate amount of coffee powder into two cups. He glanced at the living room to see his new friend was making small talk with his roommates.

Reiichi carefully placed two steaming cups of coffee and some biscuits on the floor. The first 10 seconds was awkward. He looked down, slowly dipping one biscuit into his coffee.

“So…how do you feel, going back to Korea?” Reiichi asked, before swallowing the whole biscuit.

“Owh…I feel so sad… because I have to go for… 2 years national service. I don’t want to go.”

Again he counted his fingers as he chuckled.

Reiichi gave him a half smile. “I’m so sorry for you. But it is good you for you.”

For a moment Reiichi gazed on his coffee and uneaten biscuit. He took a sip before asking his friend.

“How many times does Korean eat in one day?” He took another sip as he waited for answer.

“Um…” He was counting again. “Morning, afternoon and night.” 3 times. He looked at his fingers to confirm them before showing them to Reiichi.

Reiichi nodded. “You always have… soup and vegetables?”

His friend thought for a while before replying slowly. “Yes yes…we have soup and… ve-ge-ta-bles.”

“Oh…I don’t like vegetables so much. Do you know what is…’fasting’?” Reiichi took another sip of his coffee before he mentioned the word.

Both of his roommates stopped doing their works for a moment. Reiichi chewed another biscuit in his mouth to break the tension.

“Fasting…? Sorry I don’t… what is fasting…?” His new friend leaned closer, dipping a biscuit into his coffee.

“Oh…you don’t know? Fasting is… For me as a Muslim, I cannot eat from morning…7 a.m until evening…7 p.m.” Reiichi put his cup down and showed seven fingers to him.

“Seven a.m to seven p.m?” His friend asked.

Reiichi nodded. “From the Sun…rise and set.” He slowly pronounced the words. “But only for one month, in a year.”

He inhaled a deep breath before continue.

“The scientists…scientists?” Reiichi waited for him to understand the word before moving on. His new friends nodded. “They say that fasting is good for us. For our stomach.” Reiichi pointed to his belly and gestured a thumb up, before chuckling softly.

“Oh…good.” His friend nodded.  

“Do you know…Mecca? A place…Mecca?” Reiichi plopped another biscuit into his mouth to keep the casual.

“Mecca? Sorry no… Where? Malaysia?” His friend replied.

“No…no…at Arab Saudi. It is a place…where…all Muslim go for…Haji. To pray.” Reiichi tried to explain as simple as possible. A part of him felt very disappointed because of language restriction. 

Reiichi nudged at his roommate. “Laptop.” Quickly he typed something into the search engine box.

“Here, have you seen this before?” Reiichi said, showing the screen to his friend. It was a picture of a big black box, with a lot of people dressed in white walking around it.  The buildings around them gleamed beautifully in golden. Reiichi showed another picture.

He friend nodded. “Oh…this is…in Arab Saudi? So many people.”

Reiichi smiled.

Then his roommate said. “Reiichi, wenn du eine Chance hast, fragt er, was hat er für seine Religion.“ 

~to be continued~

I Broke My Mother's Vase and Her Heart

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ا سَـــــــلاَمُ عَلَيــْــكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـَـاتُه

It was Wednesday night. Reiichi asked his mother if he could go for a movie with his friends on weekend. But his mother said no. Annoyed, he shouted at his mother before throwing his mother's favourite vase on the floor. Then he left the house angrily. He wandered alone and aimlessly around the neighbourhood under light rain. He felt hungry. Then he saw a hot dog stand on the side of the road under the yellow street light. Before he could jog there, realization hit him. He remembered that he didn't bring his wallet along with him.

Soaked in wet, he forced his feet to an old bus stand, located only metres from the hot dog stand. The old man looked at him under his grey brows. When Reiichi's stomach pathetically growled, he swore the old could hear it and probably resisting himself from bursting out laughing while rolling on the ground. 

Instead, the old asked the cute shivering little boy. "What's your name, son?"

Stammering, he answered. "Re..Reiichi.."

"You hungry?" He said as he pulled out a bun and put the hot dog on the griller. The smell was so tempting Reiichi couldn't speak. The old man then put the hot dog on the bun, squeezed the mayo and chili on top before handing it to the boy. "Here."

Automatically Reiichi's hand reached forward, receiving the hot dog. "B..But I have no money with me." 

"It's on me." The old man replied, before placing a stool next to him, urging Reiichi to seat. Then he made the little boy some hot chocolate.

Savouring the hot dog and his drink, his eyes suddenly wet with tears. The old man waited for the boy to finish before he asked. "What's wrong, young boy?"

"It's nothing..." Reiichi answered. "You're just so nice. You don't even know me but you offer me food and drink. But my mother...after we fought she drove me out from house. She's mean." He added, wiping his tears. 

Upon hearing the little boy, the old man slowly sighed. "Son, what makes you think it that way? I only gave you a hot dog and a drink, but you are already touched and feel that you owe me. Your mother raised you since you were small, fed you and took care of you, why don't you be thankful but instead you fought with her?"

The words hit Reiichi like a brick. After thanking the old man he returned home. 

"How could I not think of that...What kind of horrible son I am..." He muttered under his breath, feeling remorseful. He thought of what he would say in front of him mum later. He would kneel in front of her, asking forgiveness.

As he arrived, he saw his mother on the lawn, her clothes slightly wet from the rain, but the worried look on her face changed to relieved. Reiichi dropped to his knees, holding his mother's hand, and cried. "I'm sorry mommy...I'm truly am. Please let me work at Uncle Chakir's so I could replace your vase." He said, sobbing.

She lowered herself on the wet grass, caressing Reiichi's hair softly. "I don't care if I lose the vase, but I don't know what I would do if I lose you, Rei" 

*** In our lives, we are easily appreciate small thing that others do for us. But for our family, we feel that what they have sacrificed for us are normal and should be done without appreciation. >_<"

*** Parents' love and their concern for us are the most valuable gift for us since we were born. How many parents ask their children to pay back the cost of raising them? NONE !
But have we ever feel obligated to repay them with love and appreciation for their sacrifices-without-conditions?

A Gift To Papa

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ا سَـــــــلاَمُ عَلَيــْــكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـَـاتُه

Reiichi was just finished dinner with his family, where his forth son said, "Daddy, there will be Fathers' Day celebration at my school, will you come?" said Ren, who was 8 years old.

At the age of 48, Reiichi would probably prefer to relax on weekends reading books. However, when his son and his two wives pushed him, he reluctantly agreed. On that day he brought along his Sudoku Book, afraid the teachers and all the children will bore him to death. 

As what he had expected, on that day the children must present what they are capable of in front of their fathers. 
Reiichi watched in pain as one at a time the students were called forward to show their skills. They were given 5 minutes each. After that the teacher in charge would call the student's father forward, so his son or daughter could present whatever gift they have prepared for their fathers in front of hundreds pair of eyes. Some showed their talents in singing, story telling, reciting poetry and acting. 

Ren heard his name being called through the mic. Slowly, he stepped on the stage, sometimes glancing at his father who eyed him from the back of the crowd. 

Reiichi didn't have a single clue about his son's talent. He assumed Ren's would probably be pretty much the same like his friends. He had given it a thought. At the end of his show, Reiichi would pretend to be touched and ran towards the stage, hugging his son so he could get the hell out of there.  

"What would you do, Ren?" A teacher stood beside him, asking.

"Can I present it with Ustaz Rush?" He said, energetic. The teacher called upon Ustaz Rush, and explained to the fellow fathers about him coming to the school three times a week to teach al-Quran to the students.   

The teacher stepped aside, signalling Ren to start his presentation. 

Ren started by giving salam, and a few forewords. He added that he would be reciting verses from Suratul Kahfi, which has 100 Ayats. But because he had only few minutes, he urged Ustaz Rush to point any random verses for him to read.

The other fathers were dumbstruck. They realized that Ren would not be only reciting Suratul Kahfi, but he had memorized it ! 

Ustaz Rush pulled out a small Quran from his pocket, flipping pages to 293. "Alright, start with Ta'awudz and Bismilllah and recite from the first verse."

Ren read from the first to the tenth verse. Ustaz Rush nodded, following his beautiful recitation without stopping. Then he asked Ren to read from verse 60. Again, Ren read it with his lovely and calming voice. 

Every pair of eyes were set on Ren, hoping that their children would be like him. Reiichi on the other hand, his mood shifted from feeling half-hearted to excited.

Then Ustaz Rush asked him to read from verse 100 to 110, ending his presentation. Ren, without hesitation read it flawlessly. 
 
As soon as he finished, Reiichi stood from his seat, jogging halfway forward and hugged his son with unfeigned love, not giving the teacher any chance to formally call him. He felt proud. Few other fathers looked from their seats, not realizing their cheeks wet with tears. 

Then the teacher asked Ren, why he chose to read Quran. She had to ask twice.

Ren looked up to his dad. "Daddy..."

Reiichi watched him, before he realized he was still hugging. "Owh...okay. Sorry" He let go. 

"Ustaz Rush once taught me to always study and recite al-Quran. He said those who memorized al-Quran would make his parents noble on the Resurrection Day. Both parents will get crowns where the lights would be more beautiful that the sunshine. I want mommy and daddy to get that kind of honour from Allah s.w.t. That's why i'm studying and memorizing al Quran with Ustaz Rush." 

"Subhanallah..." A crying voice came from the crowd. Everyone of them want their children to be like him. 

Reiichi cleared his throat. "May I say something?"
Silence fell. The teacher edged over so he could have the mic. 

"Today would be the most happiest day of my life. All of you feel the same. We send our kids to the best school in town, with expensive fees and all of the facilities. Perhaps we have forgotten, that we are truly chasing the world. I'm almost 50, and Ren is my youngest son. With my foolish ambition, I send him here so that he could have a good future, for the WORLD. But now I realize that he too are preparing learning al Quran so that his parents will have a good future, but for AKHIRAT. Thank you Ren...I'm sorry to forget teaching you al Quran...

The Bee who Obeys Allah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ا سَـــــــلاَمُ عَلَيــْــكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـَـاتُه

Reiichi remembered vividly the day he was not feeling very well. He had a fever and he coughed badly. His mummy told him: “What you need is a nice hot drink with honey, sweetie. I'll go the the market and find some honey to help you feeling better." She said softly under her angelic tone. 

"I wanna come too." Reiichi replied. Before his mother could detest, Reiichi had already put on his jacket and socks along with his teddy bear snow cap.  

As Reiichi and his mother were at the supermarket, they stopped in front of a small makeshift booth. The shelves were stocked with different kinds of honey.

“Oh, Mummy, there are all sorts of different colours!” Reiichi said excitedly. 

“Look, this honey is almost white, and this one is golden, and that one over there is brownish.” The little kid added.

“Yes, Reiichi”, her mum answered. “There are different sorts of honey. There’s clover honey, lavender honey, eucalyptus honey... and mixed wildflower honey.”

“But then, does honey come from flowers?” Reiichi asked.

Mummy chuckled. “No, it does not darling” his mum told him. 

“You know bees make honey. The bees fly from flower to flower to collect a fine powder called pollen and a liquid called nectar. And then they make the honey with their bodies. Since there are different sorts of flowers with different colours and smells, this produces different sorts of honey." She gestured Reiichi closer to the shelves.

"If the bees have been only on clover flowers, they make clover honey, which is almost white, like the one in this jar." She said, pointed to one of the jar.

"If the bees have been on lavender, as in the South of France, you get this nice golden colour. And if the bees go about on all sorts of wild flowers, they produce mixed wildflower honey.”

Reiichi looked amazed. “And what colour is mixed wildflower honey?”

“Well, it depends on the flowers." Mummy answered. “Look, the honey in this jar is yellow, this one is brownish, and yet they’re both mixed wildflower honey.”

Reiichi thought for a while and then he asked: “But who has taught the bees how to make honey?”

His mum smiled at him.

“Allah has taught them, Reiichi”, she explained. “When the bees make honey, they obey Allah.

Do you know Allah tells us about bees in the Quran? Listen to what He says.”

And then Reiichi's Mum recited for him the verses from surat an-Nahl, “The bees".

And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses,
and among the trees and [in] that which they construct.

Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people.
Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.

(Qur'an - Surah Nahl l, 68-69).